A conceptual drawing of the four-level parking ramp from BWBR Architects.

The parking ramp that’s rising on North Barstow Street will grow a little higher after a vote Tuesday by the Eau Claire City Council. After debating the necessity of increasing the size of the ramp as well as how to pay for the project, the council voted 8-3 to add a fourth level to the structure. The fourth story will add 200 parking stalls to the 570 already included in the three-deck ramp, which Market & Johnson began building earlier this year.

“I think we will regret if we don’t find some way to park ‘up’ rather than park ‘out,’ ” said Councilman Andrew Werthmann, who voted in favor of the addition, citing the pressure downtown growth has put on available parking. Earlier in the meeting, council members heard projections that the new ramp would be virtually full as soon as it opens in September 2016 because of parking demand from employees and patrons of growing downtown businesses.

Councilman David Klinkhammer agreed, saying the city should act to take advantage of current cost savings. “Growth is occurring,” he said. “We’re not all going to ride bicycles. There is a need for the parking downtown.”

The addition’s $2.2 million cost will be paid for from the city’s general fund – in other words, through borrowing that will be paid back by city property tax payers. The council also considered paying for the addition with funds from a special Tax Incremental Financing District, which are already being used to cover the $8.5 million cost of the ramp’s first three levels. However, city staffers who examined the issue advised against additional TIF funding for several reasons: First, using TIF funding would cause a delay and add $800,000 in cost to the project. Second, the district in question – TIF No. 8, which covers a portion of downtown – would need additional grown to generate enough tax revenue to pay for the project.

City finance director Jay Winzenz told council members that city road projects this year have come in under budget, leading to a savings of about $2 million, which means that very little additional borrowing will be needed to pay for the fourth level. The total $2.2 million cost will lead to an annual property tax increase of $5 on a $150,000 home.

The city will also have outside help to pay for the project. Earlier on Tuesday, the North Barstow Business Improvement District, an association of neighborhood businesses, pledged $110,000 of its own money toward the project.

Because the spending came in the form of a budget amendment, it required the support of a two-thirds majority, or eight council members. Those who opposed the addition cited worries about adding to the city’s debt load. Councilwoman Kathleen Mitchell said that when the council originally approved the ramp in March, they intended that an optional fourth level be paid for via the TIF district, not added debt. “There are other priorities for me in the community than a fourth level on this ramp,” Mitchell said.